Hopewell, N.J. – Senior guard Megan McConnell, of the Duquesne women's basketball team has been named to the midseason watch list for the 2025 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award presented by Her Hoop Stats.
McConnell was named to the 25-member preseason watch list earlier this season and remains on the 15-member midseason list. She is one of 15 student-athletes that represent 15 programs and 10 different conferences while being one of two players from the Atlantic 10.
To be eligible for this award, players must compete in one of the 26 conferences deemed to be "mid-major." The following conferences are considered high-major for the purposes of this award and thus ineligible: ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, and SEC. Additionally, players from Oregon State and Washington State are ineligible this year as membership in the Pac-12 Conference evolves.
A native of Pittsburgh, Pa., McConnell has been nothing but stout for the Dukes this season. She is one of only three players nationwide to record multiple triple-doubles this year and holds the program record for the most in Duquesne history. McConnell is currently averaging 19.3 points and 5.5 assists per game, both of which lead the Atlantic 10 conference. Her scoring average ranks 32nd, and her assists place her 23rd in NCAA Division I.
Consistently a top contributor, McConnell has scored in double figures in 15 games this season, leading the Dukes in scoring in 10 of those contests. She ranks fourth in the league with 39 three-pointers and is fifth in field goal percentage, shooting an impressive 49.3 percent. The senior guard has posted six 20-point games and notched her first career 30-point performance in a victory over Canisius earlier this season. In addition to her scoring prowess, McConnell has excelled as a playmaker. She has led the Dukes in assists in 14 games, with 11 contests featuring five or more assists and two games with double-digit assists. Her 88 total dimes rank 25th in the nation. Heading into Wednesday's game, McConnell is just two assists away from claiming second place on Duquesne's all-time assists leaderboard.
"It's great to see Meg being recognized by the voters for the Becky Hammon Award," head coach Dan Burt said. "Meg personifies how Becky played on the floor. Grit, toughness, a high level of skill, and production. A winner on and off the court, we are excited for Meg's final run through the Atlantic 10 conference schedule and postseason play."
On the defensive end, McConnell's performance has been nothing short of remarkable. She leads all of NCAA Division I with 4.31 steals per game and ranks second nationally with 69 total takeaways. In her last outing against George Washington, the Pittsburgh native achieved a milestone by becoming just the fourth player in Duquesne history to surpass 300 career steals. McConnell has recorded seven games with five or more steals and posted a career-best nine takeaways in two separate contests this season. Despite standing at just 5'7, McConnell has excelled on the boards, averaging 7.3 rebounds per game—the shortest player in the top 100 nationally in that category. She has tallied five games with double-digit rebounds and led the Dukes in rebounding on 12 occasions this season. Her efforts have also earned her five double-doubles, ranking third in the Atlantic 10 Conference.
In 126 career games with the Dukes, including 118 starts, McConnell has compiled an impressive stat line of 1,477 points, 951 rebounds, 577 assists, and 301 steals. Her scoring total ranks seventh all-time in Duquesne history, and she is on the verge of becoming only the second player in program history to surpass 1,000 career rebounds. Additionally, McConnell is just 22 steals away from claiming third place on Duquesne's all-time career steals leaderboard.
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